Method and apparatus for coiling wire



y 6, 1967 R. H. WlSE 3,319,447

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COILING WIRE Filed Jan. 30, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR.

BY RHLPH h. (J/55 m 1 I (J/gm; $577158, Can/e QTTo/z NE vs May 16, 1967R. H. WISE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COILING WIRE 3 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed Jan. 30, 1963 WAR/ABLE JPEED 7Rn-s MISS/0N INVENTOR. Rm PH H.(1/55 BY 41/450 .S'ETTLEQ CRmG May .16, 1967 R. H. WISE METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR COILlNG WIRE 3 Sheets-Sheet 25 Filed Jan. 30, 1963INVENTOR. AALPH H. 14/455 BY /m o/v, 557725: CRH/G ,qrrokms v5 UnitedStates Patent ()fifice 3,319,454? Fatented May 16, 1967 3,319,447 METHODAND APPARATUS FOR CGILING WIRE Ralph El. Wise, R0. Box 356, Grand Haven,Mich. 49417 Filed Jan. 363, 1963, Ser. No. 255,735 6 Claims. (Ci. 72140)This invention relates to a method and apparatus for continuouslyproducing a dead helical coil of wire or similar filament.

When helical coils are formed merely by pushing the wire endwise througha forming tool having a helical groove of the diameter and pitch of thedesired coil, the coil necessarily rotates about the axis of the helixas the coil is being formed. This produces what is termed a live coil.If the coil is to be produced continuously in indefinite lengths, thisrequires either an orbiting supply coil of wire, or an orbiting take-upspool, or both. This requires an awkward and expensive machine toproduce any extensive length of large diameter helix. Otherwise theformed coil must be cut into short lengths because it is impractical torotate about its own axis a coil of indefinite length.

This invention has among its objects to produce continuously indefinitelengths of dead helical coil by which is meant a coil which does notrotate about its axis as it is discharged from the machine. This makesit possible to produce indefinite lengths of helical coil which can beprogressively Wound on a non-orbiting drum as the coil is formed.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved, simple,compact and economical apparatus which will continuously produce coilsof helical wire from a non-orbiting supply.

Still another object is to provide an improved forming machine which canreadily be adapted or adjusted to produce coils of different diametersand of dififerent pitches.

Still another object is to provide an improved forming tool which can beadjusted to make helical coils of different diameters.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and claims, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings forming part of the specification, in which eachreference character, wherever it occurs, always refers to the same part.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of one form of machine for forming ahelical coil according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the machine shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a helical coil emerging from themachine as seen from the plane represented by the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of a wire coilingtool suitable for use in the machine of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an elevation partly in section of a forming tool for makinghelical coils of different diameters.

FIGURE 7 is an end elevation of the tool as seen from the planerepresented by the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5.

Before explaining the invention in detail, it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited to the particular construction norarrangement described herein or shown in the accompanying drawings,which are for illustration only, since the invention can be embodied inother forms and can be practised or carried out in various ways. Also itis to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein isonly for the purpose of description and illustration and does notconstitute a limitation of the invention.

Referring to FIGURE 4, a wire 10 is fed along its axis from left toright by a pair of feed rolls l2 and through a forming tool, generallydesignated by 14. The forming tool has a groove 16 in one side which issubstantially filled by the wire being fed. A plate 18 is secured to thetool in suitable manner to close the groove, and provide a hole throughthe tool and fitting the wire. The tool includes a portion 20 which isdisposed substantially axially of the Wire and a portion 22 which isformed into a helix. The groove 16 runs continuously from one end of theforming tool to the other so that in the portion 22 the groove is of theform, diameter and pitch of the helix in the coil to be made. In theportion 22 the groove need not be covered by the plate 18 because inthis portion of the tool the groove is on the inside of the material andthe wire is held against the groove and forced against the bottom of thegroove by the force which feeds the wire through the forming tool.

The apparatus as above described produces a live helical coil of wirewhich rotates about its axis as it is being formed, appearing to bescrewing out of the tool. In order to make a dead coil, that is, onewhich does not rotate, the tool 14 is rotated about the axis of the wire10 and in the sense of rotation opposite to the sense in which the coiltends to rotate as it emerges from the tool. This opposite rotation issynchronized with the speed of the feed rolls for the length of the wirewhich produces a given diameter of helix so that the tool is turnedreversely once for each convolution of the helix being formed. Thistwists the wire once reversely about the axis of the wire itself foreach convolution of the helix being formed and this twisting operationcombined with the coiling of the wire into a helix produces a dead coilwhich can be formed in indefinite lengths and wound upon a non-orbitingtake-off spool.

The pressure of the feed rolls 12 upon the Wire prevents the wire frombeing twisted prior to its entry to the feed beyond the nip of therolls, and the bend in the helical groove at the beginning of theportion 22 of the tool serves as a gripping point for the twisting.

FIGURE 1 shows one form of apparatus for performing the processdescribed. This includes a supply spool 30 arranged to rotate about itsown axis 32 to supply wire tangentially from the spool without twisting.The spool is mounted on a stationary frame 34. The feed rolls 12 aredriven through suitable gearing, as will be explained, from any suitablemotor 36 mounted on the frame to draw the wire through a series ofstraightening rolls 33 and a straightening guide 40 which may consist ofmating grooved plates urged together under any desired pressure byadjusting screws 42. The wire after passing the nip of the feed rolls 12may be pushed through another guide 44 into the forming tool 14 which isconstructed as has been previously described in connection with FIGURE4. The guide 44 is to keep the wire straight and prevent its kinking asit is pushed from the rolls 12 into forming tool 14. The guide 44 isconstructed so that twisting of the wire about its axis is permittedbetween the plates of the guide 44.

The forming tool 14 is mounted in a quill 46 slidable, but not rotatablein a drive tube 47 mounted in bearings 48 and rota-ted by a belt 50 fromthe motor 36. The tube 47 is geared to a countershaft 52 by gears 54,56. The countershaft drives a gear 58 which drives the feed rolls 12through a variable speed transmission 60 indicated schematically inFIGURE 2. The gearing and transmission are so arranged that the rolls 12feed a Un1ted States Patent fifiee 3,319,454?

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ology or terminology used herein of description and illustration an FORWIRE limitation of the invention.

4, a Wire 10 is led along its is only for the purpose (1 does notconstitute a APPARATUS 'ise, 1 0. Box 356, Grand Haven, g to FIGURE49417 'r of feed rolls 12 and designated by 14 The q if 9119 rality ofstraightening rolls, a pair of straightening guides, a rotatable formingtool having a continuous groove therein including a straight portion anda curved portion of helical formation, a drive tube, feed rolls betweensaid guides for feeding a Wire from said spool over said straighteningrolls, through said guides and forming tool, means for driving saiddrive tube and feed rolls and vari-. able speed means for controllingthe speed of said feed rolls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1900 Lauer15366 6/1956 Kitselman 1364

1. APPARATUS FOR FORMING A HELICAL COIL OF WIRE COMPRISING INCOMBINATION FORMING MEANS HAVING AN INSIDE HELICAL GROOVE HAVING A PITCHCORRESPONDING TO ONE HAND OF ROTATION, SAID FORMING MEANS BEING MOUNTEDFOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID GROOVE, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLYFEEDING WIRE IN THE DIRECTION OF ITS LENGTH ALONG SAID HELICAL GROOVE,MEANS FOR PREVENTING ROTATION ABOUT ITS AXIS OF THE WIRE BEING FED UP TOA FIXED POINT AHEAD OF SAID HELICAL GROOVE, MEANS FOR ROTATING THEFORMING MEANS IN THE OPPOSITE HAND OF ROTATION AT A RATE PROVIDING ONEROTATION DURING THE TIME ONE CONVOLUTION OF THE HELIX IS BEING FORMEDAND MEANS FOR CHANGING THE RATE OF WIRE FLOW TO FORM DIFFERENT DIAMETEROF HELICES.